Frango Mints (1918)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

   Were they "Franco" Mints, and was the name changed for political purposes?  Or is that a myth?  Are these really big in Seattle?  Chicago?
   There are 1,100 Google hits.  ProQuest wasn't much help here.  Again, the Chicago Tribune would've be nice to have.


(GOOGLE)
http://mhintze.tripod.com/seattle/frangos.htm
The Original Frango Mints

As everybody from Seattle knows, Frango mints were originally developed here and were sold in the Frederick & Nelson department stores (that is, until Frederick's went out of business in 1992 - now they are sold in the Bon Marche stores).  But during the time I spent living on the east coast, I was stunned to learn that people from other parts of the country think that Frangos are from Chicago.

So to set the record straight, here's the deal with the origin of Frango mints.  Frangos were invented in Seattle around the beginning of the twentieth century.  It was originally a frozen desert (Frango ice cream) that was served in the Frederick & Nelson tea room, and the candy form was introduced a few years later.

Then, in 1929, Donald Edward Frederick - the surviving co-founder of F&N - turned 69 and decided to retire.  He sold the business to Marshall Field & Co. for $6 million.  Recognizing a good thing when they bought it, Marshall Field then decided to produce and sell Frango mints in their flagship store in Chicago.  The Frederick & Nelson subsidiary, meanwhile, continued to produce and sell Frangos in the Northwest.

1n 1982, after mismanaging Frederick's nearly to death, Marshall Field sold Frederick & Nelson to Batus Inc. (the first of three owners in its final 10 years - none of which were able to bring F&N back to its former glory), but they retained the rights to Frangos (and licensed back to F&N the right to produce and sell Frangos in the Northwest).


(GOOGLE)
http://mhintze.tripod.com/seattle/frangos_article.htm
Chicago Sun-Times
 Sunday, March 14, 1999, Pg. 4

 The Bittersweet Truth
 by Bryan Smith

It is small and square, and when you drop it on your tongue it melts deliciously, oh-so-slowly into a yummy lump of mint and chocolate.

 And, of course, as everyone knows, it is Chicago -- maybe not quite Wrigley Field and Michael Jordan, but without question a city institution.

 Tourists take home boxes as gifts; families give them to friends as "a taste of Chicago."

 The Frango Mint belongs to Chicago. Right?

 Well, there's, er, this other city. Where the treats were invented. Where they were named. Where they still are made.

 Call Chicago the home of the Frango there, and they'll look at you as if you're claiming Starbucks and Microsoft, too.

 "I love Chicago," says Robert Spector, Seattle resident and author of The Legend of Frango Chocolate.

 "You can claim Michael Jordan. You just can't claim Frangos. I have a lot of friends from Chicago, and I have to set them straight."
 (...)

(TRADEMARKS)
Word Mark
 FRANGO
 Goods and Services
IC  030.  US 046.  G & S: CANDIES.  FIRST USE: 19180601.  FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19180601
 Mark Drawing Code
(1) TYPED DRAWING
 Serial Number
73100803
 Filing Date
September 22, 1976
 Change In Registration
CHANGE IN REGISTRATION HAS OCCURRED
 Registration Number
1064058
 Registration Date
April 19, 1977
 Owner
(REGISTRANT) MARSHALL FIELD & COMPANY CORPORATION DELAWARE 111 NORTH STATE STREET CHICAGO ILLINOIS 60690
 Assignment Recorded
ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
 Attorney of Record
L PAUL BURD
 Type of Mark
TRADEMARK
 Register
PRINCIPAL
 Affidavit Text
SECT 15.  SECT 8 (6-YR).
 Renewal
1ST RENEWAL   19970529
 Live/Dead Indicator
LIVE


(TRADEMARKS)
Record Mark
 FRANGO
 Goods and Services
IC  030.  US 046.  G & S: candies, cookie mixes and cocoa.  FIRST USE: 19180601.  FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19180601
 Mark Drawing Code
(1) TYPED DRAWING
 Serial Number
74331157
 Filing Date
November 16, 1992
 Published for Opposition
 April 6, 1993
 Registration Number
1779123
 Registration Date
June 29, 1993
 Owner
(REGISTRANT) MARSHALL FIELD & COMPANY CORPORATION DELAWARE 111 North State Street Chicago ILLINOIS 60690
(LAST LISTED OWNER) TARGET BRANDS, INC. CORPORATION BY ASSIGNMENT, BY ASSIGNMENT, BY CHANGE OF NAME MINNESOTA 1000 NICOLLET MALL TPS-3165 MINNEJAPLIS MINNESOTA 55403
 Assignment Recorded
ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
 Attorney of Record
SHAYNE L. BROWN
 Prior Registrations
1064058;1279145;1297227
 Type of Mark
TRADEMARK
 Register
PRINCIPAL
 Affidavit Text
SECT 15.  SECT 8 (6-YR).  SECTION 8(10-YR) 20030804.
 Renewal
1ST RENEWAL   20030804
 Live/Dead Indicator
LIVE